Marik



March 17, 1964 F. MARIK 3,124,951

KEY OPERATED COMBINATION LOCK Filed March 14, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 65'1 5 Q I/III/II/I/l/II/l/l/ I /x//77/ \llllllllll A\ 8 59 5 E2 mmmwnmfie. 7 v -9 F: MARIK' KEY OPERATED COMBINATION LOCK March 17, 1964 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 14, 1960 United States Patent 3,124,951 KEYOPERATED COMBINATIGN LOCK Frank Marik, 138 Queen St., Camphelltown, NewSouth Wales, Australia Filed Mar. '14, 196i Ser. No. 14,734 Claimspriority, application Australia Sept. 7, 1959 1 Claim. (Cl. 70383) Thepresent invention relates to a key operated combination lock.

The object, of the present invention is to provide a novel key operatedcombination type lock wherein the lock is opened by a key, which key canbe altered in shape by adjustable components therein and which when itis inserted in the lock to lock it the lock mechanism combination isautomatically altered thereby tocorrespond to the new key shape.

The present invention provides a lock assembly comprising a lock casing,a fascia plate having front and rear faces so mounted as to be at leastpartially rotatable with respect to said lock casing and a plurality oflock mechanism units secured to the rear face of said fascia plate; eachsaid lock unit consisting of an apertured mounting plate, a shaftextending through said aperture, a selector wheel rotatably mounted onsaid shaft, a slot in said mounting plate extending from said aperture,a tooth on said selector wheel engageable in said slot, a circular rackhaving external teeth and internal recesses mounted for rotative andaxial movement on said shaft, the tooth of said selector wheel beingengageable in any one of the recesses of the circular rack in the lockedposition of the lock and in the said slot and out of engagement withsaid recesses in the unlocked position, a spring pressed detent carriedby the mounting plate for engagement betwen two teeth of the circularrack but arranged to be displaced from such engagement by insertion of arack-like key member through the said fascia plate and into engagementwith the said external teeth to rotate the said circular rack through apredetermined angle corresponding to the effective length of the saidkey member, the said shaft and selector wheels being slidable withrespect to said circular racks so that the tooth of each selector wheelwhen displaced into a position corresponding to the key combination isin engagement with the recesses of the circular rack and adjacent theslot of the mounting plate or a corresponding slot in an end plate; astationary cam surface between the lock casing and the lock mechanismunits in engagement with the ends of the shaft, the fascia plate uponrotation causing the ends of the shaft to follow the cam contour toaxially displace the shaft with the fascia plate and parts carriedthereby defining rotative movement about an axis transverse to the saidshaft, axial movement of the shaft displacing the selector wheels sotheir teeth extend into the respective slots in the unlocked position ofthe lock and out of engagement with the recesses of the respectivecircular racks, the key being withdrawable and insertable in the lockedand unlocked positions, and if withdrawn when in the unlocked positionand set to a new combination upon subsequent reinsertion, turning of thefascia plate to the locked position and withdrawal from the lock in thelocked position resetting the lock mechanism to the new combination.

A preferred embodiment of the lock and key of my invention as applied toa latch type lock will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which,

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the centre of thelock assembly,

FIGURES 2 and 2a show in face and edge elevations respectively a pinionforming part of the lock assembly,

FIGURES 3 and 3a show in face and edge elevations 3,124,951 PatentedMar. 17, 1964 respectively a selector wheel forming part of the lockassembly,

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of one mounting plate (not the central one)forming part of the lock assembly,

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the centre of thekey,

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of the key,

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through the centre of thebody part of the key and FIGURE 8 is a plan view of such body part,

FIGURE 9 is a central transverse section through the key,

FIGURE 10 is a central transverse section through the lock assembly, andI FIGURE 11 corresponds to FIGURE 10 but shows the parts in differentpositions.

FIGURE 12 shows a modified pinion.

When the lock is installed the visible par-t is a fascia plate 26 inwhich is a non-central hole (or series of holes) 41 into which a specialkey can be inserted, by which key the fascia plate and parts carriedthereby can be partially rotated bodily (about the centre of the fasciaplate, not about the centre of the key).

In FIGURE 1 the fascia plate 20 is shown in crosssection through one ofits lugs 21 which support the assembled units 2-2 of the look mechanismby means of screws 23, the shanks of which pass through tapped holes inthe lugs 21 and through holes in the mounting plate 24 of each unit ofthe lock mechanism 22. In the assembly shown there are five such units22 and these together with an additional end plate 25 which correspondsin shape to the other mounting plates 24 make up the said lockmechanism.

Each mounting plate 24 and the end plate 25 (see FIG. 10) are providedwith a rivet hole 26 and an aperture 27, the latter having a peripheralslot 28, as shown in FIGURE 4.

A selector wheel 29 forms part of each unit 22 and is adapted to berotatably mounted and axially slidable over portions of its peripheralwidth in such aperture 27 and has a tooth 30 (shown in FIGURE 3) on itsperiphery which limits its movement as aforementioned. When the tooth 30corresponds in circular position to the slot 28 the selector wheel 29 isdisplaceable axially into engagement with the aperture 27.

The mounting plates 24 and end plates 25 are separated at their outboardends by spacer washers 31. These are positioned by a rivet 32 whichpasses through their aper tures and the rivet holes 26.

On each selector wheel there is mounted a pinion (or circular rack) 33having a number of internal recesses in any one of which the tooth 39'is adapted to be engaged according to the circular position of thelatter. The number of internal recesses 34 in the pinion 33 in thisinstance is ten, which number corresponds to the number of positions inwhich each key element may be arranged as described hereinafter. Thebore of the pinion 33 is rotatable on the peripheral portion 29a of theselector wheel 29 axially beyond the tooth 30.'(See FIGURE 3.)

Each pinion 33 is provided with external teeth 35, in this instancefourteen, to allow for suitable selection of the respective combinationsas described hereinafter.

While the pinion 33 only requires the number of internal recesses 34 andexternal teeth 35 illustrated it is usually more convenient formanufacture and assembly purposes to have complete circles of internalrecesses and external teeth, as shown in FIGURE 12. A locking member 36which is pivotally mounted on each plate 24 at 37 is provided with aprojection 38 which is adapted to be engaged in between any adjacentpair of external teeth 35 of its associated pinion 33. The lockingmember 36 also has a sloping end portion 39 which is adapted to becontacted by a key element 4t) when same is inserted through thecorresponding aperture 41 in the fascia plate 20. The insertion of suchkey element 4t lifts the locking member 36 so that the projection 38 iscleared from the periphery of the gear teeth 35 on the pinion $3 and onfurther insertion of the key element the end thereof contacts theparticular tooth of the external teeth 35 on the pinion along its pathof travel and rotates same through an arc until the key element (orprong) 40 is inserted to its limit of travel. The rack type undersurface of the key 4t) engages in the teeth 35 of the pinion. Thecombination is arranged so that upon insertion of the key element 4-5 toits correct predetermined distance the tooth M5 is positioned incorresponding radial relationship with the slot 28 of the adjacent plate24. In this position the selector wheel 29 can be displaced axially sothat the tooth 3th engages in the slots 23 of the adjacent plateaforementioned. When the key element 40 is withdrawn (with the tooth 30in engagement with the corresponding recess 34) the pinion 33 iscounter-rotated through a similar arc.

The locking member 36 is spring loaded into engagement with the pinion33 by a wire spring 42 which is kept in position by a square key 43driven through a complementary friction fit hole arranged in each plate24 and the end plate 25.

The selector wheels 29 are mounted on a common shaft 44 which has areduced diameter portion 45 at one end. This reduced diameter portion ispositioned in the assembly at the end remote from the end plate 25. Onthis reduced diameter portion a bearing washer 46 is positioned. It hasan outer boss 47 of reduced diameter, an inner boss 48 slidable in theaperture 2'7 of the outermost plate 24 and an enlarged portion 49therebetween which limits axial displacement of the assembly. The otherend of the shaft 44 is provided with an assembly washer 50 having an endpart 51. The remainder of the Washer which abuts the end plate 25 is ofgreater diameter at 52 than the aperture 27. The ends of the shaft 44are rivetted over and rounded beyond the bearing washer 46 and assemblywasher 50 as shown at 53 and 54.

From the cross-section shown in FIGURE it will be seen that the lockassembly is positioned inside a hollow cam 55 of such shape that thelock assembly could be rotated bodily if the shaft 44 could be displacedaxially towards the end plate 25. The limit of such displacement iscontrolled by the exposed portion of the boss 43 between the portion 49and the endmost plate 24, as the abutting faces of the assembly washer50, the selector wheels 29 and the bearing washer 46 have no axial playbetween them. If even one tooth 30 is out of co-incidence with itsco-operating radial notch 28 the shaft 44 cannot slide sufficientlyinside the cam track 55 to permit the assembly to turn therein and openthe lock.

When each selector wheel 29 has been rotated by its cooperating pinion33 so that its tooth 30 is in corresponding radial relationship with theslot 28 of its cooperating aperture 27 the whole assembly mounted on theshaft 44 can be displaced axially as the lock assembly is rotated in thecam 55., As soon as the assembly is rotated clockwise with thecomponents in this position the shape of the cam 55 both permits andcauses axial displacement of the components mounted on the shaft 44, asmay be seen by comparing FIGURE 11 with FIGURE 10. Further rotation inthe opposite direction causes reverse axial displacement of the shaft 44and components mounted thereon into their initial positions.

A projection 56 is positioned at the rear of the central plate 24 of thelock assembly and is adapted to actuate any suitable lock bolt or latchmechanism not shown.

Alternatively the shaft 44 or projection 56 may be adapted to actuate apad lock type assembly.

The combination of the lock may be varied when the teeth 30 in theselector Wheels 29 are in engagement with the corresponding slots 28 inthe apertures 27. The effective lengths of the respective key elements4% are altered and such elements are reinserted into the loci mechanismand the pinion wheels 33 are rotated into posi tions wherein therespective internal recesses 34 and external teeth and the teeth 3h onthe selector wheels 29 assume new corresponding mutual angularrelationships, which relationships are secured when the lockingmechanism is returned to its original position.

The key assembly includes a body 57 (conveniently a nylon moulding)having five longitudinal slots 58 in which the key elements are mounted.One end face of the moulding 57 is provided with an enlargement 59'through which the working lengths of the key members 40 protrude. Atransverse groove 64) is provided in the moulding adjacent thisenlargement 59 wherein may be inserted a locking pin 61 which isengageable in one of the notches 62 of each of the rack-like undersurface of the key members 45. This serves to position the key members49 with the desired working lengths protruding from the end of the body.Two shallow channel shape members es encase the top, bottom and sides ofthe body 57. The body 57 and the channel shaped members 63 have matchingholes towards the end remote from the enlargement 59 in which holes alocking screw 64 and cylindrical nut 55 with a slotted head is locatedto retain the elements in assembled relationship.

The nut may be one requiring a special body to loosen I it.

Or a rivet may be employed instead of the screw and nut, if the key user(for example an hotel guest) is not intended to be able to alter thecombination.

To change the key combinations the screw 64 and cylindrical nut 65 aredisconnected, the channel shaped elements 63 removed, the locking pin 61removed and the key elements 44 displaced along the slots 53 until adifferent notch 62 is in line with the transverse groove 6t). The key isthen reassembled as aforespecified.

By counting the numbers of notches on the protruding parts of the keymembers 49 a written record of the combination for which the lock is setcan be kept. Thus a spare key can quickly be made up if the original onebe damaged.

If the key be lost a fresh one may be made and used to open the lock andthen (to prevent misuse of the lost key) the key can be altered and withit the lock re-locked, whereby it will be set to a fresh combination.

I claim:

A lock assembly comprising a lock casing, a fascia plate having frontand rear faces so mounted as to be at least partially rotatable withrespect to said lock casing and a plurality of lock mechanism unitssecured to the rear face of said fascia plate; each said lock unitconsisting of an apertured mounting plate, a shaft extending throughsaid aperture, a selector wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, a slotin said mounting plate extending from said aperture, a tooth on saidselector wheel engageable in said slot, a circular rack having externalteeth and internal recesses mounted for rotative and axial movement onsaid shaft, the tooth of said selector wheel being engageable in any oneof the recesses of the circular rack in the locked position of the lockand in the said slot and out of engagement with said recesses in theunlocked position, a spring pressed detent carried by the mounting platefor engagement between two teeth of the circular rack but arranged to bedisplaced from such engagement by insertion of a rack-like key memberthrough the said fascia plate and into engagement with the said externalteeth to rotate the said circular rack through a predetermined anglecorresponding to the effective length of the said key member, the saidshaft and selector wheels being slidable with respect to said circularracks so that the tooth of each selector wheel when displaced into aposition corresponding to the key combination is in engagement with therecesses of the circular rack and adjacent the slot of the mountingplate or a corresponding slot in an end plate; a stationary cam surfacebetween the lock casing and the lock mechanism units in engagement withthe ends of the shaft, the fascia plate upon rotation causing the endsof the shaft to follow the cam contour to axially displace the shaftwith the fascia plate and parts carried thereby defining rotativemovement about an axis transverse to the said shaft, axial movement ofthe shaft displacing the selector wheels so that their teeth extend intothe respective slots in the unlocked position of the lock and out ofengagement with the recesses of the respective circular racks, the keybeing withdrawable and insertable in the locked and unlocked positions,and if withdrawn when in the unlocked position and set to a newcombination upon subsequent reinsertion, turning of the fascia plate tothe locked 6 position and withdrawal from the lock in the lockedposition resetting the lock mechanism to the new combination.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS472,620 Hyde Apr. 12, 1892 834,918 Lindgren Nov. 6, 1906 1,317,828Sellstone Oct. 7, 1919 1,353,722 Clark Sept. 21, 1920 1,594,297 MuzzioJuly 27, 1926 1,653,511 Schlage Dec. 20, 1927 1,899,739 Von Mehren Feb.28, 1933 2,595,267 Julliard May 6, 1952 2,660,047 Villalba Nov. 24, 1953

